Damarion
from Chicago, IL

Moved to find work to support my son. Need safety gear to work as a welder.

Once I have a job, I can send for my son. I finished the program in welding and I am ready to work.

Updates

Damarion bought his new work boots! Jan 8, 2013

Hello, I am Damarion and I am responding to my posting. Thank you to all of the people who gave to my cause that allowed me to be successful in the last 4 months. This has allowed for me to become an employee at different temporary jobs for now. I am personally thanking everyone from Benevolent and JARC for assisting in this process and the Tribune for doing this story on us. Thank you for putting this site out there to help people in my situation to better their lives. Currently, I have accepted a full time manufacturing position and I am also still attending JARC part time to work on my welding skills. The company who has hired me required that I have steel toed boots on my first day so I thank all of my donors from the Benevolent website for making this a possibility for me.

Thank you for helping Damarion! Nov 8, 2012

I would like to thank everyone whom participates in the assistance of others' well being. I am pleased to hear that Damarion received his welding gear to enable him to start his career. Thank you very much.

-Eric

My need and situation

Meeting this need will help me because it will allow for me to become gainfully employed and to become a working member of society and take care of me and my son. Right now, my biggest challenge is not being able to go on job interviews and safely perform the task at hand.

My current situation is I just relocated to Chicago to find work to support my son. I have the skills of MIG, TIG, and stick welding and manufacturing jobs ask that you be able to come in and do interviews. I don't have the necessary equipment to be able to go in for those interviews and operate machinery safely. This equipment will help me be safely protected against sharp objects and hot temperatures, gases, and metals.

Meeting this need will help me achieve future goals because I will be able to get my own apartment, get my own vehicle, and move my son up here to Chicago with me. It will also help me become a productive member of society. I don't want to feel like I have to take from others, I want to be able to support myself. I don't want to have to be worried where my nest meal is coming from or trying to borrow money if I won't be able to pay it back.

Right now is just tight. The home I'm staying at has 20 people staying there. Food is portioned off right now so everybody can have equal shares to eat. The crowdedness of the house - 20 people using two bathrooms - including my grandparents who have numerous disabilities. This would help me be able to help them a whole lot. I wake up everyday at 5:30 to make sure that my cousins and my aunty are up for work and school, and to prepare my grandparent's food and get their medicines out for the day. When I get a job I'll be able to get health insurance and a car to help them out.

I'm most proud of turning my life around and being able to gain a skill I can be productive at. I'm also proud of the fact that my family, friends, and career and educational advisers support me. They want me to succeed as much as I want to succeed.

Whatever proceeds are given will definitely be put to good use for a good cause. Once I become a stable , productive member of society, then I will be able to help people that are in the same position to become self reliant themselves. Thank you for all proceeds that you donate.

I live with 20 people, my two grandparents, my two aunties, one uncle, and 15 cousins. It's pandemonium living there. I act as a caregiver, maintenance man, cook, and watch kids. I call myself the house personal assistant.

I went to school at Lamar and Venture High Schools. I've worked at jobs including U.S. Navy, UPS, Keebler, and I was a site coordinator at the after school program Empower Me. We taught them about life skills, hygiene, about finishing school and saying no to violence, drugs, and gangs.

I think of myself mostly as a family man. I'm very family oriented. I'm a very energetic person and I love to help people. I'm consistently looking to give to other people and getting the welding gear and a job would allow me to help other people who need help with material things - to help them find jobs or to help them in difficult situations.

Something interesting about me is I am a very articulate person. I'm the type of person that I have a thirst for knowledge and wanting to know. I can converse with anyone without feeling left behind - whether its about politics, history, or anything.

Recent supporters

Validated

Each need is validated by a nonprofit that knows the person and can verify that the help is necessary. Funds flow from Benevolent to the nonprofit, which then gets them to the person in need and lets us know how it went. Learn more »

I have known Damarion for about 2 months. He is a trainee of mine in the welding program.

I think meeting this need is important because in the welding industry, personal protective equipment is needed to protect the welder from hazards associated with welding and injury to self and possibly others. After going through the welding program, our students get placed in jobs with our partner companies, but they can not start work until they have their own gear.

This will move the recipient's life forward by allowing him to start a career that's both challenging and rewarding. Damarion has a great attitude and works well with others. Once he starts building an income from this career, he will be able to support himself financially and eventually he'll be able to move out on his own and even support his family.

Damarion is interviewing with a company. He's thrilled about the opportunity and we're confident he'll present himself well.

About Eric White

My job title is Weld Instructor and I have been in this position since April 18, 2011. My work involves training trainees in understanding the welding process and MIG, TIG, and Stick welding to better enhance their employment possibilities. Through interactive communication, hands on demonstration,… Read more